The previous post, Is It Art? was about the creative process and its importance in our lives. Although I wasn’t originally planning to, I decided to carry the discussion a bit further, in part inspired by an article in my favorite business magazine, “Entrepreneur” (link at the end) that I received after that post, and an event I…
Has this ever happened to you? I hope it’s not just me! You reach out to someone you know and respect by text, phone, email, smoke-signal or carrier pigeon for some input, doesn’t matter about what, and you either don’t hear back at all, or, they say, “why don’t you just look it up…
In this age of social networking that reduces much interpersonal communication to the news feeds from various social websites, people tend to forget the value of making it personal through real face-to-face networking. Nothing replaces looking someone in the eye, sharing a handshake and a smile. Have we become too content with mere electronic representations…
It’s hard to believe that the year 2013 is over. It went by quickly and hopefully productively for you. If not, like many, you are still looking for that right employment situation that matches all your needs. Well, hopefully with this list, you’ll remind yourself of a few things not to do, and move forward…
What does it take to get your career pursuits back on track after your plans get derailed due to a major health crisis? How do you come back after years of recuperation? Battling a major illness and recovering from a severe injury are among life’s most difficult challenges. But after all the physical healing is…
Do you ever contemplate relocating to another part of the country, or another part of the world? Do you wonder if greener pastures are on the other side? Are there new, different, more exciting opportunities for you someplace else? It certainly is possible that something different, maybe even better, awaits you in another location. But…
Recently, I heard from Katrina, a French-born marketing assistant living in Ohio, who has spent most of her life in the United States. She has lived in many diverse locations around the globe, has traveled extensively, and considers herself industry-wise because of her world-wide exposure to her field. Katrina told me she attended college in…
These days, it’s more important than ever to talk with the people in your network and ask them about openings where they work. In doing so, your next job may be closer than you think because increasingly employers are sourcing appropriate candidates through the networks of their current employees. And more and more employers are…
An old friend got in touch recently to ask about some people in my contacts list on one of my social networks. She was digging through other friends lists as well in an effort to find familiar names from our common past. Her interest, as it turns out, was to make a late stage career…
Periodically, just about everything needs a little tune-up. You know? Maintenance! Not necessarily a major overhaul, but the kind of routine attention that keeps systems working as optimally as possible. The first thing that requires a tune-up is our bodies so they can serve us for many years to come. Our cars and other transportation…
When you are looking for work, you always face a lot of distracting temptations. But during the summer months, when the temperatures warm up, it becomes harder to concentrate. It seems that everyone else is doing fun stuff and there are so many places you’d rather be than in front of your computer looking for…
If you’re looking for a job, In addition to all the online social and real interpersonal networking, job boards, posting sites and direct applications, are you still attending job fairs? Are these events still worth your job search time? For a great many job seekers, the answer is, “Yes”! Attending job fairs is still a…
These days, when we hear the word “enabler” there is a negative connotation implied because too frequently it is used as a psychology term. Unfortunately, Enabler isn’t generally associated with all the positive traits exhibited by those who try to bring out the best in others. Too bad! Because among us are those rare, special…
Let me know if any of this sounds familiar: You’ve been in contact with someone you’ve known for a long time, someone you know well who works in your chosen profession. You feel there is a genuine rapport, and honestly believe you like each other and trust each other. You also believe the other person…
Among the issues I get to frequently talk to job seekers about is how to transition from one career to another. For many shifting gears and their career focus, there is an almost natural progression that might emanate from the development of new skills or successfully tackling a progression of more difficult responsibilities. For others,…
You’ve probably heard the expression, “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” Well, when it comes to job search, and the self-promotion required to successfully obtain work, we’ve seen a tremendous evolution in the ways we apply for employment. Newspaper classifieds have given way to the online job boards, industry-specific sites and…
Last time out I wrote about the importance of clarity in work communication and its effects on job survival. While at the gigantic Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this month, I was continuously reminded of the importance of clarity in brevity, particularly when it comes to what we often refer to as…
Ah yes, the end of the year. Now is the time year when almost anyone with an audience looks back on the past twelve months to reflect on the best of this, and most important of that. Brief perspectives such as the “top ten list” can be very handy in providing a close-up view of…
Recently, I was reviewing resumes, cover letters and doing some interview preparation for job seekers at a job fair. Although the age of the participants skewed a bit older than most of these events, the employment hopefuls were as diversified in their skills, experience and positions of interest, as would be expected. But one of…
Now that you’ve made it through the Thanksgiving Weekend with or without a tryptophan induced hangover, and with or without bruises from the Black Friday melee, maybe you’re at work not quite feeling the gratitude the holiday name suggests. Understandable! Due to our sustained economic doldrums, many employers are cutting down on office celebrations, bonuses,…
